Shep Howard- District Ten male (17)
I think everyone knew what was about to happen when we walked up to the challenge field. Most of us had studied at least a few episodes of the original show back in the Capitol. There were a few challenges that popped up over and over. There was no mistaking the seven giant buckets of water suspended over seven wooden platforms.
"Good morning, contestants!" Isabella started. "Any guesses what today's challenge is?"
"The one where you hold your arm up!" Leo offered.
"Excellent! A-plus for Leo!" Isabella said as she pointed at him. "In this Survivor classic, each Tribute will stand on a platform with a rope tied around one arm over their head. These ropes have very little slack. Be careful, because the slightest drop will pull the bucket down, drenching you with water and eliminating you. In this battle of endurance, the last dry contestant wins immunity and reward."
"What are we playing for?" Val played along in a goofily overeager voice.
"I'm so glad you asked!" Isabella turned as a round platform rose from the ground, shrouded by a curtain. "Iiiiiit's a NEW CAR!"
The curtain dropped, revealing a shiny car sparkling under several spotlights. It was a bright cherry-red sort of car. City folk would probably know what kind it was, but my best description would be "it had four doors and was kinda rectangular- or really more like a trapezoid. Not a van and not a convertible."
"This compact coupe Helios sports model comfortably seats four passengers and combines a sleek Bauhaus style with all the comforts of maximalism. Featuring an six-piston carburetor, turbo-hydroxide thrust, regal-grade leather from Vanderbilt Ranches and Hides, chromium hubcaps, Dappler collision avoidance, and Cochrane drive. This prize was generously provided by the good folks at Decebalus Motors," Isabella gave in an exuberant announcer voice. "Decebalus Motors, where you can wherever the winds take you."
Oh, silly me, thinking it was a red car. It's actually a Helios sports coop with turbo pistons and floopywoop drive.
"Worth playing for?"
It probably wouldn't even drive in a field, but I could just imagine a herd of sheep milling about and then I come screaming in with a sports car driving in circles around them as they bleated in obedience and terror. Well, I could sell it anyway.
Val Vella- District Two male (18)
I wasn't sure I'd ever been so close to Lana for so long before. We'd been in the challenge for about twenty minutes and it wasn't hard yet but it certainly was boring. I was on the end, so she was the only one in easy speaking distance.
"So. You like pop music?" I asked.
She almost shrugged and then caught herself, her rope twitching but not pulling. "I like PinkLady."
"Ooh, I'm so stoked for her new album," I said. "'Appletini' is my jam." I started singing a few bars, wishing I could dance along. Lana was too shy to join in but I could tell she appreciated my talent.
Octavia Jacobs- District One female (18)
This was the most frustrating kind of challenge for me. I knew I had more willpower than anyone else, but I was stuck in this stupid weak body. My arm would give out a lot faster than my spirit and it infuriated me. Just as long as I'm not the first, I bargained with myself.
The sun prickled at my scalp even underneath my hair. I looked nervously at it beaming in the sky. Okay, as long as I'm not first and Val's okay.
Yarrow Venus- District Three female (17)
As Isabella called the forty-five minute mark, I was drowning in boredom. My arm was already sore, but I could tell we would be here a lot, lot longer. Then Isabella vanished and my interest perked up. I had a guess what that meant.
A moment later, Isabella returned carrying a plate. I stretched my neck out to see the sandwich perched on it.
"Tributes, you have been here for one hour. Starting to feel the pain? Let me offer you a deal. Pull your rope and I'll give you this loaded monster sandwich. Think you're safe tonight? Put that to the test."
Everyone looked around at each other. It really was a viable proposition. All but one of us would lose eventually. Bird in the hand and all that. But I felt like I could push a little farther, and it seemed everyone else did, too.
"All right. We'll see if you made the right decision."
Lana Mason- District Six female (17)
One thing I hadn't thought about- there was no water on the platform. Isabella had just called the ninety minute mark and I was starting to feel the heat. My tongue felt sticky in my mouth.
"Contestants!" Isabella broke in again, reaching under her podium. "It's a scorcher, isn't it? Might I offer you a mango slushie with sliced fruit?
"Alright, sounds good." I looked over as Val pulled his cord. The bucket tipped and a flood of what looked like cherry juice splashed everywhere. I almost jumped back as some of it splashed on me.
"Ahh, why is it RED?! You gotta WARN a guy!" Val wiped at his painted face.
"We have our first elimination!" Isabella crowed.
"I wasn't gonna win anyway, and Octavia's been staring at me for like an hour," Val said as he walked toward Isabella and his booty. "Better to tap out now than faceplant randomly." He sat wetly and redly on the bench sipping his smoothie.
Leo Fabrizio- District Six male (18)
Everyone was still looking really strong. My arm hurt like the dickens, but I wasn't giving up. I could feel it. This was going to be my challenge. I would manifest the victory until it happened.
Lana was standing really stiffly. I noticed it and it caught my eye for some reason. Then I figured it out.
Uh-oh. She'd locked her knees. Not everyone knew that, but anyone who'd stood up in one place for a long time- say, to sing a bunch of songs- knew what happened when you did that. If I call her name, will I startle her and her bucket will fall?
Too late. Lana swayed a little as the lack of blood flow caught up to her. She reflexively bent her leg, unintentionally solving the problem, but the movement was enough. Bright green water like vegan barf cascaded onto her.
"Lana becomes our second elimination!"
Lana glumly sat next to Val, who handed her some mango slices with a sympathetic pat on the back.
Kallik- District Two female (18)
Once when I was about twelve, a friend and I went to school after-hours to use the decrepit old volleyball net they had. As kids do, we became obsessed for a day and had a whole tournament. For two days after that, I could hardly move my arm without it aching. The memory was becoming more and more vivid.
"Tributes, that's two hours! Two whole hours without moving. How you feeling?"
"Bad," Yarrow said. The rest of us made noises of agreement.
"Feelin' good," Shep said.
"Liar," Leo said.
"Yeah," Shep admitted.
"Can any of us even drive?" I asked.
"I've driven." Val raised a finger from the bench.
"Legally?" Shep asked.
"Uh, otherwise it would be illegal," Val didn't answer.
SPLASH!
What?! I hadn't even noticed I'd moved. Oh, nuts.
"For the lady," Val said as he passed over a mango slice he'd saved back.
I took it with a yellow hand. "Such a gentleman."
Shep Howard- District Ten male (18)
Two and a half hours in, the conversation had died down. Those of us still in it stood with pinched faces and trembling arms, peering at each other and afraid to move. I would have been lying if I didn't say it sucked.
"May I have your attention?" Isabella the temptress came up with another plate. "Victory is sweet, but you know what else is sweet? She peeked under the domed plate cover. "Well, not this. I should have said that for something else. But anyway it's a steak."
Leo imperiously put up his nose. Yarrow was likewise unconvinced, no doubt thinking of the votes she'd gotten last council. It was Octavia who considered it. I saw her eyes go from the plate, not overly impressed, to the bucket above her, with trepidation, to the three of us, with calculation. She screwed up her mouth.
"All right."
A flood of blue smurfed her. I smiled to myself at the spectacle. She hadn't done it for the steak. She'd just been embarrassed of losing and wanted to do it on her own terms. Entirely understandable. Despite looking like a human blueberry, she walked with great dignity to the bench.
Leo Fabrizio- District Six male (18)
This couldn't be good for my arm. I could feel the muscle fibers breaking up. Pain pounded over it and in the air around it. It was bringing tears to my eyes, but I didn't want to give up.
They can't last forever.
Yarrow Venus- District Three female (17)
If someone had asked me if I could hold my hand over my head for three and a half hours, I'd have said no way. I wasn't even entirely sure why I cared. I had a good enough life back home. A million dollars was nice and all, but I was happy just not dying. But here I was, holding up my screaming arm even though it hurt so much even my stomach was starting to hurt. Isabella stood by, narrating what little action was happening.
"Leo, shifting his weight to his other leg!"
"Shep unbothered by a fly on his face."
"Yarrow is doing nothing."
SPLASH!
My head jerked down from where I'd been looking at the sky trying to focus on nothing. I was shocked to see Leo looking like a human shadow.
"DARN it!" The yell was surprisingly loud. I'd never heard Leo sound so angry. He threw up his good arm and stomped for the platform.
He took a deep breath and sat down as Val scorcher away from the black water dripping from him. "Sorry, sorry," Leo said. "I get really competitive sometimes. I'm trying to work on it."
Huh, I never knew that about Leo. For an instant it was a distraction. Then the pain was back.
Shep Howard- District Ten male (18)
I was way more muscular than Yarrow. I was a farm boy. She'd never even mentioned playing sports. Surely I could take this one. But all the same, it really was about how much you wanted it, in the end.
"You've now been up there for four hours," Isabella broke in. "Who wants it more? Who knows they can do it, and who's starting to wonder? If you change your mind, I have a chocolate sundae with your name on it.
"Nope," Yarrow said, looking right at me.
"Contestants! It has been four and a half hours!" My arm was twitching uncontrollably. Any unlucky movement could end it all, even without me meaning to. Was it really worth the risk? But there weren't many of us left to vote for.
Yarrow Venus- District Three female (17)
You can do a lot when your metaphorical life depends on it. But there are a lot of people who fought with everything they had and died anyway.
"It's been four and a half hours and I'm here with a loaded beef burrito!"
"It's been four hours and forty-five minutes and I just couldn't wait to offer up this plate of nachos!"
Shep and I stared at each other with squinted eyes. It was like something out of a movie. Sooner or later, it had to happen. One of us was going to get wet.
It can't all be for nothing. It was unbearable to think of all the agony in my arm and all the missed offers turning out to be for nothing. I narrowed my focus to each breath. This couldn't be forever. It had to stop eventually. With every second my arm begged for mercy. I was my own torturer.
Shep Howard- District Ten male (17)
Isabella's pizza went unheeded. I could smell it where it lay on her podium. As we kept squirming and holding up our arms, she started to nibble on it.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. Every second I was certain my arm would drop on its own. I had the disturbing thought that surely there were people who went through this involuntarily. There were probably some going through it now, with the government we had. The rope jittered against my skin as my arm quivered.
I didn't know I'd pulled just a little too hard until water hit my head and back with such force I stumbled. Orange flashed before my eyes like a flash bang went off right in my face. Honestly, I was so relieved to let my arm hit my side that I wasn't even mad I'd lost.
"Yarrow wins immunity and reward!"
The first thought would of course be to have someone win who hasn't yet. That WAS in fact my first thought. Then I thought about how everyone would know that was coming, since it's totally me. There weren't any Tributes who had a big advantage in this round, so my next thought was RNG, but then I decided to shake it up a little. I decided to pick the most dramatic winner, which was Yarrow. Surprising, since she's won already, and spicy, since she got votes last time. I think this will jazz up the next tribal council and maybe even lead to a BIG MOVE. But that's up to you, so get those votes in!